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View Full Version : Krang's extensive backstory in the original series is explained through episodes


CyberCubed
03-18-2013, 10:17 PM
If you actually watched the entire original series, we actually learn quite a bit of Krang's backstory from bits and pieces of various episodes. Its hard to catch but pay attention and you'll notice it:

1) Krang was banished to Earth and lost his body after he was exiled from Dimension X. How, why or who banished him was never explained.

2) Krang used to have a full reptilian body, as seen in "Invasion of the Krangezoids" from Season 7.

3) Berserko helped design the Technodrome, and used to be Krang's partner before he doublecrossed him. He is in the first episode of Season 8. This makes it seem like the Technodrome was originally built in Dimension X.

4) Shreeka used to be Krang's partner (ex-lover?) in Dimension X, until he, "abandoned her in the Andromeda Galaxy and kept her power ring." as she says. Shreeka was an interesting character as she was humanoid in appearance but was from Dimension X.

5) Krang created the Rock Soldiers, and perhaps General Traag himself by using the mutagen on rocks to create an army. This is explained in, "Michaelangelo's Birthday" as his anti-mutagen turns 3 Rock Soldiers back into plain rocks. This makes it seem like the Rock Soldiers are actually mutants themselves.

6) Shredder meets Krang at some point after he was banished on Earth. Perhaps this means Krang landed in Japan originally? Krang promises Shredder about "untold power he could only dream of" in Dimension X with various alien technology. At some point Shredder abandons the human Foot Clan and joins Krang and creates the robot Foot army.

7) Krang is at war with the Neutrino race, and several episodes show the Rock Soldiers trying to capture or kill Neutrinos. Season 4's "Four Turtles and a Baby" shows the Rock Soldiers attacking a Neutrino city and the Neutrino leaders send Princess Tribble to Earth to protect her.

8 ) In, "The Four Musketurtles" we see a flashback of Krang's race and they're all brains in bubble walkers, contradicting their full body growth from Season 7. This is either a continuity glitch or before Krang managed to grow himself a body. This also proves that Krang is actually from a race in the series, whether or not they were Utroms was never explained.

9) Krang spends the vast majority of the shows run trying to find a new power source to re-power the Technodrome and take over NYC. From there he planned to conquer the Earth and then expand his operations back to Dimension X.

10) Krang seemingly created the mutagen, and throughout the shows run we're told that the ingredients to make it are very rare. Several episodes has Krang saying, "Mutagen doesn't grow on trees you know," or, "You wasted perfectly good mutagen," or, "That was the last vile of mutagen I had," implying the stuff is extremely hard to come by or produce. Some episodes even explain the formula used, such as "Bindex-3" and so forth. This is perhaps why Shredder/Krang never did create an army of mutants, it was hard to come by and they always messed up everytime they had some.

11) Dimension X is called "a parallel universe with untold power" by Shredder in, "White Belt, Black Heart." Everytime the Turtles or the villains came to or from Dimension X they first went through a portal.

12) Antrax is called, "Krang's royal executioner," which is actually pretty gruesome for old toon standards.

13) Krang likes watching American soap operas (as seen in The Ninja Sword of Nowhere) and is a snappy dresser. He calls his bubble walker his, "best suit" and his android body is almost like an extensive of himself.


If you actually take the time to notice all of the Krang history tidbits in the original series, there's actually a lot to piece together. This is what I love about the original cartoon, it seems simple on the surface but when you dig deep enough you find things you didn't notice before.

JT560
03-19-2013, 02:57 AM
Neat facts about Krang. Even as a kid, I was never able to watch all seasons of the 87 TMNT, but thanks for this nice list detailing Krang's back story.

But I have to ask, have you read the IDW TMNT comic series? You might find it interesting since they provide back story on Krang and the Utroms, the Neutrinos, and Dimension X.

Original TMNT Cartoon Fan
03-19-2013, 05:49 AM
Dimension X, despite the name, actually seems more to be a distant galaxy (see "It Came from Beneath the Sewers"), and the mentioning of distance in some episodes ("Superhero for a Day"). Of course, they need portals. Travelling by spacecraft between galaxies would last Earth years.

Refractive Reflections
03-19-2013, 12:26 PM
12) Antrax is called, "Krang's royal executioner," which is actually pretty gruesome for old toon standards.

Do you know which episode this was in CyberCubed? ...I'm just curious because I don't remember.


If you actually take the time to notice all of the Krang history tidbits in the original series, there's actually a lot to piece together. This is what I love about the original cartoon, it seems simple on the surface but when you dig deep enough you find things you didn't notice before.

While I don't think the OT writers had a whole backstory from the beginning, but it is very clever how (for the most part) they were able to have these tidbits fit together seamlessly. (Though the writers weren't perfect in doing so throughout the series because of the gaping continuity hole with Baxter in "Landlord of the Flies" and "Revenge Of The Fly".) But like you said CyberCubed, it's what I like about the OT too how there are subtle clues for figuring out certain backstories for characters, grown jokes that slipped our radar as kids, and the always debatable speculation for which Turtle OT April was closest too. The OT leaves a bit mystery (which I prefer in storytelling), rather than divulging everything which evaporates the suspense and intrigue of a show.

Original TMNT Cartoon Fan
03-19-2013, 01:47 PM
It's the Krang clones who develop reptilian-like bodies, as they grow on their own ways.

gobo
03-19-2013, 02:51 PM
In ep 2, Shredder says it wasn't until he came to NY that he gained his vast technical knowledge. Krang and his kind were obviously relieved of their bodies before Krang made it to Earth, unless you just want "THE FOUR MUSKETURTLES" to be a shining example of retcon. Also, I'm pretty sure Beserko only indicated they designed the 'Drome in Dimension X.
Do you know which episode this was in CyberCubed? ...I'm just curious because I don't remember.

"NIGHT OF THE ROGUES" was the only TV appearance of both Antrax and Scumbug.

JT560
03-19-2013, 02:56 PM
In one of the TMNT rpg books, "TMNT Guide to the Universe," Dimension X is definitely a distant galaxy. I believe in the Archie comics universe, Dimension X is also stated to be a galaxy (TMNT Sourcebooks).

CyberCubed
03-19-2013, 03:25 PM
In ep 2, Shredder says it wasn't until he came to NY that he gained his vast technical knowledge. Krang and his kind were obviously releived of their bodies before Krang made it to Earth, unless you just want "THE FOUR MUSKETURTLES" to be a shining example of retcon. Also, I'm pretty sure Beserko only indicated they designed the 'Drome in Dimension X.

Yeah I wasn't too sure of that myself. They never made it clear whether the Technodrome was built on Earth or Dimension X.

***First of Two Latin Kings***
03-19-2013, 03:32 PM
I had forgotten that Princess Tribble was a Murakami-Wolf-Swenson character. VERY interesting.

Venom
03-19-2013, 04:03 PM
I don't care what folks say about ya, Cyber³, you know your stuff!

pannoni1
03-19-2013, 06:09 PM
Krang remains the best thing to come out of the OT, being so much more than just a generic Utrom, no wonder for his resurgence in IDW and in Nick, and that's part of the reason why I enjoy Krang. Its also possible that Krang is invincible when presumably wounded as shown in the Arcade Game. Unlike Shredder/Splinter which clearly present a backstory from the first episode, having characters like Krang, April, or Bebop/Rocksteady provides a second chance to discover backstories. Thanks for thinking deep again Cybercubed!

Jephael
03-19-2013, 07:16 PM
8 ) In, "The Four Musketurtles" we see a flashback of Krang's race and they're all brains in bubble walkers, contradicting their full body growth from Season 7. This is either a continuity glitch or before Krang managed to grow himself a body. This also proves that Krang is actually from a race in the series, whether or not they were Utroms was never explained.

How do we know they aren't different races of Dimension X creatures who had their bodies removed for some odd reason?

gobo
03-19-2013, 07:53 PM
How do we know they aren't different races of Dimension X creatures who had their bodies removed for some odd reason?
That's an interesting thought. Bit of a reach though.

Original TMNT Cartoon Fan
03-20-2013, 06:00 AM
Maybe Krang got his hands on some strange mutagen (after the Four Musketurtles flashback, which is just a flashback) and used it on himself to get a body. A mutagen working mroe like a gorwing formula (more Mirage style) rather than latest animal-contact. When he was cuahgt later, his enemies threw some reserving anti-mutagen on him to make him loose that body, so he became less dangerous again, which forced him to use robots again.

CyberCubed
03-21-2013, 07:09 AM
Krang's never referred to himself as a mutant though.